Cannot list files on NT share mounted on RedHat Linux 6.2

[Bolek Mynarski]

The problem I'm having is a little unique. We have setup a Novell gateway on an NT box so we could access Novell's volumes through NT's shares. Everything works fine until I have to list a directory.

For example:

I have a share on NT which is mounted on my Linux box as /mnt/novell.

I am interested in particular in two directories: dir1 and dir2.

Dir1 containing only a few files, does not create any problems. Dir2 containing 1,500 files hangs upon executing either 'ls' or 'ls -l'.

Has anybody experienced something similar and if so, what was your work around/fix for this?

Thanks.

[Albert E. Whale, CISSP]

I would think that this problem would be better airred in the SAMBA Development Team. Have you visited www.samba.org lately? Try your question over there. Some one is sure to have an answer for you.

[David DeMartini]

It is not at all clear if SAMBA is in use here or not. Perhaps the NT system is running some type of NFS software that allows traditional 'mount' of the volume as opposed to a SAMBA 'share'.

If SAMBA is not in use, and NFS is involved, you might want to look to SUN, as they wrote the book on (and everyone licenses from them) NFS.

If none of the above pan out, take a look at your kernel configuration and make sure you allowed for directories that exceed 1,500 files. You should also look at the legnth of the files in that directory. I have seen cases where a relativley small number of files with very long filenames overloads the kernel limit on directory info with unexpected results.

Sorry I'm not more familiar with the Red Hat/Linux kernel in question, or I could tell you which configs to check.

[Bolek Mynarski]

It seems that both answeres missed. After I posted my message, a few hours later I was testing the gateway from Novell to Windows networking on a Win95 machine. Following my gut feeling, I mounted NT share (which in reality is a Novell volume) and could re-create exactly the same thing on a Win machine.

It seems to me now that the problem is not with SAMBA nor with my Linux kernel (as suggested) but rather with the translation that NT gateway does (IPX/SPX to TCP/IP). Again, when openning a directory with only a few files in it, Win95 was purky and very responsive. On the other hand, when I tried to open the exact directory with 1,500+ files, the same thing was happening as on my Linux box. It took literally about 5 minutes to list the files (I'm not talking about displaying one file at a time but about seeing the flash light for almost 5 minutes before I could see anything).

As it is, then, it is completely useless to me. I probably will have to stick to my current way of doing things which is using another Win95 machine that can directly access my Novell drives and ftp from it to process those files on my Linux machine.

It is a shame because it would be awesome to simply use that gateway the way it was intended for.

[Bolek Mynarski]

It seems that both answeres missed. After I posted my message, a few hours later I was testing the gateway from Novell to Windows networking on a Win95 machine. Following my gut feeling, I mounted NT share (which in reality is a Novell volume) and could re-create exactly the same thing on a Win machine.

It seems to me now that the problem is not with SAMBA nor with my Linux kernel (as suggested) but rather with the translation that NT gateway does (IPX/SPX to TCP/IP). Again, when openning a directory with only a few files in it, Win95 was purky and very responsive. On the other hand, when I tried to open the exact directory with 1,500+ files, the same thing was happening as on my Linux box. It took literally about 5 minutes to list the files (I'm not talking about displaying one file at a time but about seeing the flash light for almost 5 minutes before I could see anything).

As it is, then, it is completely useless to me. I probably will have to stick to my current way of doing things which is using another Win95 machine that can directly access my Novell drives and ftp from it to process those files on my Linux machine.

It is a shame because it would be awesome to simply use that gateway the way it was intended for.

[Ralf Reinartz]

Hello,

In my Opinion i is no good Idea to use the NT Gateway.
I see 2 better ways:

1 Use the Linux IPX stack and NCP tools.
Wirh them you can driektly mount the Netware Volume (bindery only) from your Linuy Station.

2. Use the Novell NFS server to export a Volume as an NFS Volume.

With this solutions you have one Failurepoint less.

I Tried both.

For hard work the NFS Solution ist more stable. For less use the IPX Soulution is much easier

so long

Ralf